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REDBRIDGE: £5 million payout for boy born brain damaged at King George Hospital

A BOY left severely brain damaged due to failings during his birth at Redbridge's only maternity unit has received £5million in compensation.

The boy, who cannot be named and is now eight, is "grossly physically disabled" after being deprived of oxygen during delivery at King George Hospital in Goodmayes.

At the High Court, Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust (BHRUT), which manages the hospital, formally apologised to the boy and his family, who live in Ilford, for faults surrounding his birth.

Medics discovered that his oxygen supply resulted from a rupture of the womb.

However, the boy's lawyers said his severe brain injuries could have been avoided had a caesarean section been carried out more rapidly.

At birth, he was found to be "floppy and pale", court papers reveal, and needed urgent resuscitation before he could breathe spontaneously.

His QC, Angus McCullough, said his intellect is relatively spared but added that the boy has very little independent mobility and cannot communicate beyond a few words and phrases.

Martin Porter QC, for BHRUT, formally apologised for the quality of care provided.

"Liability was admitted at an early stage", he told Justice Cranston, and also paid tribute to the parents for the sacrifices they have made in raising their son.

The judge last week approved a settlement through which the trust will pay the boy a lump sum of £4,250,000, plus annual, index-linked and tax-free sums to provide for the costs of his care for as long as he lives.

"I'm very pleased the matter has been settled without the need for a trial," he said, concluding: "I would like to express my best wishes for his future, and to commend his parents who have dedicated themselves to his care at the expense of their own health."

A trust spokesperson said: "The trust accepts that the injuries would have been avoided had proper care been given by the hospital staff attending to the child’s mother.

"The trust has sincerely apologised to the family for the errors made.

"The trust works hard to ensure that the quality of care it provides continues to improve, and that lessons are learnt after mistakes are made.

"We would like re-iterate how sorry we are for the mistakes made, and are pleased that an amicable resolution has been reached."

Maternity services under the trust's management were criticised last year by the Care Quality Commission, which now says significant improvements have been made.

The government plans to close the King George maternity unit and move services to Queen's Hospital in Romford.